The ‘Orchid Cloud Garment' Chinese and Foreign Intangible Cultural Heritage Fashion Show for International Cultural Exchange was held in Beijing
And the Institute of Cultural and Creative Industries of Jinan University, Folk Art Inheritance
September 9, 2025 08:30 Shanghai,China
"Orchid Cloud Clothes" Chinese and Foreign Intangible Cultural Heritage Fashion Show
International cultural exchange event held in Beijing
On September 7th, during China Fashion Week, the "Orchid Cloud Garments" International Cultural Exchange Activity featuring Chinese and Foreign Intangible Cultural Heritage Fashion Show was held at the 798 Art Zone in Beijing. Supported by the Secretariat of the Orchid Award, the China-ASEAN Center, and the UNESCO Chair on the Inheritance and Innovation of World Traditional Handicrafts, and co-hosted by Sino-Foreign Cultural International Communication Development (Beijing) Co., Ltd. and the China Fashion Association, this event aims to promote exchanges and mutual learning between Chinese and foreign civilizations through the carrier of intangible cultural heritage costumes, allowing the world to more deeply perceive the charm of China's diverse culture.
Chen Ping, Chief Chair of the UNESCO Chair on Inheritance and Innovation of World Traditional Handicrafts and Dean of the Institute of Cultural Heritage and Creative Industries at Jinan University, was invited to participate in this event.
The scene of the " Orchid Cloud Garments " International Cultural Exchange Activity of Chinese and Foreign Intangible Cultural Heritage Fashion Show
Yu Yingfu, Deputy Director of China Foreign Languages Publishing Administration, and Han Can Cai, Thai Ambassador to China, attended the event and delivered speeches. Rahmani, Brunei's Ambassador to China, Jimmy, Philippine Ambassador to China, Chen Shi, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of China Foreign Languages Publishing Administration, Director of China Foreign Books Publishing and Distribution Center, and Secretary-General of the Orchid Award Secretariat, also attended the event. More than 100 people attended the event, including Meng Feixuan, international judge of the Orchid Award, Bai Yang, winner of the 2nd Orchid Award, as well as staff from embassies of ASEAN countries such as Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Thailand, Singapore, Vietnam, etc., and international organizations like the China-ASEAN Center. Also present were relevant responsible persons from Chuxiong Prefecture and Dali Prefecture in Yunnan Province, Hanzhong City in Shaanxi Province, Wuzhishan City in Hainan Province, Luoyang City in Henan Province, etc. In addition, there were more than 500 guests including institutions from the fashion industry, cultural media companies, and social media hosts from Xiaohongshu, Weibo, Douyin, Youku, Kuaishou, etc. Furthermore, Bai Yang, the winner of the Orchid Award, and 15 diplomats from 8 ASEAN countries participated in the fashion show as special guests.
Yu Yingfu, Deputy Director of China Foreign Languages Publishing Administration, delivered a speech.
In the leadership speech session, Yu Yingfu pointed out that clothing is a "living fossil" of civilization, carrying national memories and cultural genes. Whether it is the intangible cultural heritage clothing from various regions in China or the traditional clothing of countries along the "Belt and Road", they are all common wealth of mankind. This event, with Chinese and foreign intangible cultural heritage clothing as a link, aims to activate traditions through cultural innovation, transform intangible cultural heritage into a modern fashion language, integrate it into world trends, and lay a solid cultural foundation for building a community with a shared future for mankind. The China Foreign Languages Publishing Administration has long been deeply engaged in the international communication of Chinese culture and the exchange and mutual learning of civilizations. It has always believed that cultural exchanges need to rely on warm carriers such as clothing and art. It will continue to give play to its advantages in international communication and cultural exchanges, join hands with all parties to promote in-depth integration of tradition and the present, as well as art and science, and create more achievements in cultural exchanges.
Thai Ambassador to China Han Changcai delivered a speech
Han Cancai stated that this grand feast of costume culture, with intangible cultural heritage as a link, allows the ten ASEAN countries to silently tell their respective histories and contemporary vitality through traditional costumes. ASEAN and China share similar cultures and connected histories, with deep origins and bonds between them. Today's event is a vivid interpretation of this blood connection — from the daily inheritance of Thai costumes to the thousand-year elegance of Chinese Hanfu, every stitch and thread is weaving a bridge for cultural dialogue. As an important part of intangible cultural heritage, China's traditional costumes, together with the costume cultures of other participating countries, build a bridge for interconnection between our societies and promote deeper cultural understanding and resonance.
From left to right: Chen Ping, Chief Chair of the UNESCO Chair on Inheritance and Innovation of World Traditional Handicrafts and Dean of the Institute of Cultural Heritage and Creative Industries at Jinan University; Yu Yingfu, Deputy Director of China Foreign Languages Publishing Administration; Chen Shi, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of China Foreign Languages Publishing Administration, Director of China Foreign Books Publishing and Distribution Center, and Secretary-General of the Secretariat of the Orchid Award; Li Wenjuan, Minister of Publicity Department of Chuxiong Yi Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province.
From left to right: Philippine Ambassador to China Jimmy, Brunei Ambassador to China Rahmani, Thai Ambassador to China Han Can Cai, and Chen Ping, Chief Chair of the UNESCO Chair on Inheritance and Innovation of World Traditional Handicrafts and Dean of the Institute of Cultural Heritage Creative Industries at Jinan University, are having a cordial conversation.
From left to right: Chen Shi, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of China Foreign Languages Publishing Administration, Director of China Foreign Books Publishing and Distribution Center, and Secretary-General of the Orchid Award Secretariat; Aisyah, wife of the Indonesian Ambassador to China; Yu Yingfu, Deputy Director of China Foreign Languages Publishing Administration; and Chen Ping, Dean of the Institute of Cultural Heritage and Creative Industries at Jinan University.
More than 100 people from embassies of ASEAN countries such as Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Thailand, Singapore, and Vietnam in China, as well as international organizations including the China-ASEAN Center, participated in this event.
Exhibition of Chinese Intangible Cultural Heritage Costumes
Build a bridge for cultural exchange with beautiful clothing and accessories
Bai Yang, a recipient of the Orchid Award, and 15 diplomats from 8 ASEAN countries participated in the fashion show as special guests.
In the Chinese intangible cultural heritage costume display segment, characteristic costumes from five places—Luoyang, Hanzhong, Wuzhishan, Dali, and Chuxiong—tell Chinese stories through clothing as a medium. The Han costumes from Luoyang, with their elegant forms and profound ritual charm, embody the thousand-year-old civilization of Chinese clothing; the Qiang costumes, carrying the fresh breeze of mountains and fields, have embroidery patterns that hold deep ethnic imprints and auspicious meanings; the splendid Li brocade from Hainan showcases three thousand years of intangible cultural heritage craftsmanship, with plant-dyed patterns weaving magnificent legends of the South China Sea; the Bai costumes from Dali encapsulate the "wind, flowers, snow, and moon," interpreting the poetic essence of nature and life philosophy through needles and threads; the Yi costumes from Chuxiong, with their gorgeous patterns and exquisite silver ornaments, radiate the profound and unique charm of Yi culture.
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Exhibition of Chinese Intangible Cultural Heritage Costumes
Exchange and Mutual Learning of Chinese and Foreign Intangible Cultural Heritage Costumes
In the session of exchange and mutual learning exhibition of Chinese and foreign intangible cultural heritage costumes, diplomats from eight countries including Brunei, Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam, as well as specially invited guests such as Bai Yang, the winner of the "Friendship Envoy Award" at the 2nd Orchid Award, presented a cross-border grand exhibition of intangible cultural heritage costumes.
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Exhibition of Mutual Learning between Chinese and Foreign Intangible Cultural Heritage Costumes
Bruneian formal attire, with fine gold threads woven into traditional craftsmanship, showcases the noble ancient rituals and inheritance of craftsmanship in Bruneian wedding customs; Singaporean Kebaya, adorned with brilliant beaded embroidery, skillfully integrates the open spirit of a port city with traditional techniques; Indonesian Kebaya batik patterns, with their cyclical repetition, profoundly interpret the beautiful wish for eternal life in island culture; Malaysian formal dresses, exquisitely woven with gold and silver threads, exude dignity and elegance, while East Malaysian beaded ornaments depict the vivid beauty of tradition in detail; Burmese longyi skirts, light and flowing, weave tropical elegance and the profoundness of a millennia-old culture with unique patterns; Philippine traditional costumes, made of delicately embroidered tulle, perfectly embody the romantic charm and leisurely appeal of tropical islands; Thai silk brocade, with colors as gorgeous as clouds, perfectly integrates ancient craftsmanship with the elegant artistic heritage of Siamese civilization; Vietnamese Ao Dai, graceful, slender, and agile, outlines family ethics and the implicit beauty of the East with flowing lines.
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A Grand Exhibition of Intangible Cultural Heritage Costumes Across Borders
During the China International Fashion Week, this event promotes exchanges and mutual learning between Chinese and foreign civilizations by leveraging the international network resources of the Orchid Award, allowing the international community to intuitively appreciate the charm of diverse cultures in China, ASEAN countries, and countries along the "Belt and Road". It is not only a feast of intangible cultural heritage costume culture but also a vivid practice of the Orchid Award in promoting global cultural exchanges and mutual learning.
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"Orchid Cloud Clothing" is a grand feast of intangible cultural heritage costume culture.
It is reported that the Orchid Award is an important international cultural exchange award initiated by China Foreign Languages Publishing Administration and carried out globally. It aims to actively practice the Global Civilization Initiative, promote the common values of all mankind, enhance global cultural exchanges and mutual learning, and consolidate the humanistic foundation for building a community with a shared future for mankind. Since its establishment in 2022, the second award ceremony was successfully held in July 2025. More and more Chinese and foreign institutions and friendly personages have actively participated in the recommendation, selection and exchange activities of the Orchid Award, which has attracted widespread attention at home and abroad.
Images and Text Provided by the Organizer
Editor： Chen Min Reviewer ：Chen Ping
